A few months ago Zoom revealed the first details about their new H6 audio recorder, a heavier-duty big brother to the indie and small production workhorse, the H4N. We guessed that it would be coming in at $400 back in April, and that's exactly the price that Zoom has revealed for the base package. There are a lot more accessories and places for expansion this time around, so check out the introduction below.

Here are two introduction videos for the H6 (thanks to planet5D for the find):

Some of the specs:

  • The world’s first handy recorder with interchangeable mic system
  • XY mics capture remarkable stereo depth and clarity
  • Mid-side mics provide continuously variable stereo width
  • Four XLR/TRS inputs for external mic/line connections
  • Up to six channels of simultaneous recording
  • High-definition audio of up to 24-bit/96kHz
  • 6-in/2-out USB audio interface
  • Over 20 hours of operation with 4 AA batteries
  • Supports SDXC memory cards up to 128GB
  • Optional Shotgun mic and external XLR/TRS inputs available

The capsules are a really interesting idea for those who are operating alone, as you can get the right mic at the right time for whatever situation you're in. My biggest complaint with the previous Zoom was that changing levels on the fly was practically impossible. Now that there are control knobs on the front of the recorder, it will be much easier to get more precise levels whenever you need them.

It will be interesting to see how much more improved the pre-amps are on this little guy, especially since that is one of the chief complaints from those who are used to working with slightly more expensive recorders. Even if it's as good as the old one and you've got a better recorder, this could still be a secondary recorder for additional mics or backup.

So who's getting one of these come July?

Links:

[via planet5D]

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